Scarlett (Second Edition) by Karima Saad Usman novel Chapter 30

Scarlett

Chapter 30

BRA

Clay sat down heavily on his bed, processing. I could tell he wanted to be cautious, not to jump to conclusions or get his hopes up too soon. “Maybe Lucian was right,” he murmured, a small smile touching his lips. “Maybe we’re not her type.”

I chuckled softly, sensing he was only half–serious. He didn’t want to let his heart run away with hope, and I respected him for it. But Scarlett had trusted me enough to share this, and I wanted Clay to know the truth, even if it complicated things.

“Yes, I asked Lucian to call for Thomas,” I confirmed, meeting Clay’s gaze. “Thomas has been tracking someone, and I need him to confirm whether Scarlett is the one he’s been trailing. If he tells us she’s not, we can finally move forward. And./.” I hesitated, feeling the weight of what I was about to say, “I’d rather Thomas prove she’s innocent than feel compelled to… you know… sleep with her just to prove she’s a virgin. It would be wrong, Cruel, even.”

Clay nodded, his face thoughtful. “I agree. It would destroy the trust she’s begun to place in us, and I couldn’t stand that.”

Just then, a soft knock sounded at the door. Lucian walked in without waiting for an answer, his face set in a look of quiet

desolation. The sadness in his eyes was palpable, like the weight of his choices was finally catching up to him. He looked between

the two of us, his shoulders slumping slightly, as though he had come to some grim realization he couldn’t quite put into words.

“What’s the matter?” Clay asked, his voice calm yet curious. I was less interested. I assumed Lucian’s mood had something to do

with Stasia and whatever hurt he was harboring. He wasn’t a child, and I certainly wasn’t there to coddle him. He needed to work

through it himself.

Lucian looked at me, his expression a mixture of irritation and something more vulnerable, and then he finally spoke. “Why do you

want Thomas to come here? Is it really that serious?”

His question made me bristle. I could feel my patience wearing thin. “We have equal rights, equal power here in the North, Lucian. I don’t have to explain anything to you.” My tone was clipped, but I didn’t care. He needed to Realise that I didn’t owe him an

explanation for every decision I made.

He sighed, running a hand through his hair, clearly trying to stay calm. “Put whatever grudge you have about Stasia aside. Please. I need to know the reason for summoning Thomas. I need to understand if it’s urgent, if it’s life–threatening. I just need to know.”

I exhaled, deciding it wasn’t worth the fight. “I need him to identify Scarlett, that’s all.”

Lucian sighed again, clearly unconvinced. “I know that much. But you mentioned Nikolay. Is that really all there is to it?”

I nodded, hoping to end this pointless exchange, but his next words hit me like a blow.

“Well, you’ll have to find another way because… Thomas has been missing for a week. No one knows where he is.”

For a moment, the air felt heavy, the weight of his words sinking in. I needed Thomas here, not only to identify Scarlett but to prove to Lucian that she wasn’t the person we’d been told she was. How else could I convince him?

How else could I get him to see that Scarlett wasn’t some tainted outsider, that she hadn’t dishonoured our bond but had, in fact,

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Chapter 30

kept herself for her mate–even though she hadn’t known who that mate would be?

A knot of frustration twisted inside me as I looked to Clay, who met my gaze with the same deep concern I felt. We both understood what

what this would mean if Lucian refused to believe Scarlett’s innocence. Clay was more reasonable, more willing to see things through a compassionate lens, but Lucian… he would be harder to convince.

I knew now that I couldn’t rely on Thomas, and that left me with one choice: to protect Scarlett and get to know her, to understand who she truly was, and to shield her from Lucian’s anger until, hopefully, the truth could break through his stubbornness.

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Michele Gremillion

realization is suddenly hitting them

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